Tatum is a top five player in the NBA right now.

[Celtics4ever]

the potential is there that is for sure.

[Roy H.]

 Tatum was the best player in the series. He's better than Embiid. He's top five in scoring in the biggest most competitive games we have.

 Jayson Tatum is a top five player in this year's playoffs to this point. It's not even debatable. It's just facts. He's our best player.

In the playoffs, well OK, maybe.  Your thread title is click-bait.

Not even close, even if it’s playoffs only. He’s 21st in playoff scoring per game, for perspective.

Heck, he’s not a top-five player remaining in the playoffs (Lebron, Harden, Durant, Curry, CP3, Thompson).

But, he has played extremely well.

[DavorCroatiaFan]

Well, I think he is ranked #5 of all scorers in this postseason (average PPG), so you got that part right! 

http://stats.nba.com/players/traditional/?DateTo=05%2F09%2F2018&sort=PTS&dir=-1&Season=2017-18&SeasonType=Playoffs

Not close to 5th.

Tatum was 5th best scorer in divisional semifinals

[slamtheking]

honestly, I'd put him third just on the C's behind Jaylen and Al.  If Rozier was more consistent during games, you could make an argument for him as well. 

having said that, I'm very excited to see what he does in the next round (as well as Brown and the rest of the team).  they'll probably be underdogs again but I think they've got a legit chance to get to the finals.

[timpiker]

I think he's simply fantastic but when he becomes the crunch time scorer - then we can talk about Top 5.

[Fan from VT]

No, he's not.

But if you were talking trade value, he's getting up there, given his very incredible poise and production for a rookie, incredible room to grow (in terms of size, frame to fill out, age, and talent potential) and 3 more rookie contract years, then you'd be closer.

[slamtheking]

No, he's not.

But if you were talking trade value, he's getting up there, given his very incredible poise and production for a rookie, incredible room to grow (in terms of size, frame to fill out, age, and talent potential) and 3 more rookie contract years, then you'd be closer.

if you're talking trade value, the only person in the NBA I'd trade him for right now is Davis.  No Kawhi, no Embiid, no KAT, no Harden, no Curry.  just Davis. 

That's taking into account we're already set with a top PG in Kyrie and 2 other great wings in Hayward and Brown.  Granted Embiid and KAT aren't guards or wings but I don't like Embiid's health/maturity issues and KAT doesn't seem to have that killer instinct or drive to win that Tatum is showing

[tonydelk]

Wow I mean I'm very excited to watch Tatum as a Celtic hopefully for his whole career and hope he's the next PP but top 5 now unfortunately definitely not.  I will say he has exceeded all expectations and it's nice to see he can be playoff Tatum as a rookie.  The league got so much better with last years draft with Mitchell, Kuzma, tatum, Ball, Etc.  What a great infusion of young superstars.  Tatum has been more then we could ever have expected but top 5 now no.  Harden, Paul, Durant, Curry, Lebron all have issues with that statement.

[Roy H.]

Well, I think he is ranked #5 of all scorers in this postseason (average PPG), so you got that part right! 

http://stats.nba.com/players/traditional/?DateTo=05%2F09%2F2018&sort=PTS&dir=-1&Season=2017-18&SeasonType=Playoffs

Not close to 5th.

Tatum was 5th best scorer in divisional semifinals

I don’t think this is accurate.

Unless I misread something, he was behind Lebron, Harden, CP3, Davis, Curry and Durant, at least.

[Spilling Green Dye]

This is ludicrous.  He's not even close to a top 5 player in the league right now.  I love what he brings and am beyond excited to see what his future as a Celtic brings though.

[td450]

While I think this is a bit much, I will admit that the national reporting on the Celtics seems unable to  explain why this team is able to achieve what it has.

Most of the C's didn't play that well last night. Horford was solid, but this wasn't his best game. Smart made a few hero plays at the end, but he was pretty awful at times too. Rozier wasn't very good. Morris was horrible. Baynes gave us a good game, but he won't ever carry this team.

The national narrative seems to be that Tatum is really good and will be a star in a few years, and Brown is a nice complimentary player. Last night, the best player on the floor was Jaylen, and Jason came through big once again too.

These two guys have dragged the C's to the conference finals, and they should be recognized as the best young duo in the league, because they've proved it. They've gotten a lot of help, but they are consistently stepping up.

[Celtics4ever]

JT has been awesome, but his efficiency has been down and he isn't quite as good defensively as some of these guys.

Which of those guys defense is better.  Goal tending LeBron?  Other than that I really question your comment on the basis of the defense.   Harden is not known for it.  Ditto for the other guys.  What are you basing that on?

I don't think he is a top five player, right now, but he has the potential to do so. ....

[gouki88]

JT has been awesome, but his efficiency has been down and he isn't quite as good defensively as some of these guys.

Which of those guys defense is better.  Goal tending LeBron?  Other than that I really question your comment on the basis of the defense.   Harden is not known for it.  Ditto for the other guys.  What are you basing that on?

Lol. Davis, Holiday and Rondo. Al Horford. Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant. Chris Paul is arguable too.

Did you even read the players I mentioned

[mqtcelticsfan]

He's not even a top five player of the teams still playing.

The best remaining players I n something resembling this order:

LeBron James
Kevin Durant
James Harden
Steph Curry
Chris Paul
Klay Thompson
Draymond Green
Al Horford
Kevin Love


I can see an argument that he's a top ten player of those still in the hunt, I guess.

[Erik]

Who on The Cavs guards Tatum?

LeBron.

The question is who guards Brown? If they try to JR Smith it, repeat the Redick abuse.

Looks like they're doing Smith and Korver. Brown is going to average 30 ppg this series if it continues.